Investigating Peat Soil Stratigraphy and Marine Clay Formation Using the Geophysical Method in Padas Valley, Northern Borneo

A geophysical survey including electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), induced polarization (IP), and seismic refraction (SR) was carried out to estimate peatland thickness in Beaufort District, Eastern Malaysia. Peatlands are important natural carbon storage and play a key role in the global carbo...

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Main Authors: Habib M. Mohamad, B. Kasbi, M. Baba, Z. Adnan, S. Hardianshah, S. Ismail
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Applied and Environmental Soil Science
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6681704
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author Habib M. Mohamad
B. Kasbi
M. Baba
Z. Adnan
S. Hardianshah
S. Ismail
author_facet Habib M. Mohamad
B. Kasbi
M. Baba
Z. Adnan
S. Hardianshah
S. Ismail
author_sort Habib M. Mohamad
collection DOAJ
description A geophysical survey including electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), induced polarization (IP), and seismic refraction (SR) was carried out to estimate peatland thickness in Beaufort District, Eastern Malaysia. Peatlands are important natural carbon storage and play a key role in the global carbon cycle. The ERT and IP studies were performed along three profiles over different peat thicknesses using Schlumberger configuration. The SR survey was carried out using vertical geophones along the same profiles. The peat soil material was characterized by low seismic velocity and high resistivity. Our results show that ERT and IP methods were able to clearly detect the interface between the peat soil and marine clay underneath. These layers differ greatly in geoelectrical characteristics showing clear contrast, thus enabling the delineation of peat soil stratigraphy, while the SR image obtained was not able to determine the base of the peat soil layer as the stiffness difference on the transition layer was very small. Overall, it was concluded that the ERT and IP method offer a useful alternative in delineating the peat soil stratigraphy. The combined application of ERT and IP method with the conventional boring method meets the demand for large volume peat stratigraphy mapping, which, moreover, has various ecological conditions and undulating strata.
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language English
publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher Wiley
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series Applied and Environmental Soil Science
spelling doaj-art-a417361a840e4d23a036b6b9fbfbd7af2025-08-20T02:20:21ZengWileyApplied and Environmental Soil Science1687-76671687-76752021-01-01202110.1155/2021/66817046681704Investigating Peat Soil Stratigraphy and Marine Clay Formation Using the Geophysical Method in Padas Valley, Northern BorneoHabib M. Mohamad0B. Kasbi1M. Baba2Z. Adnan3S. Hardianshah4S. Ismail5Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, MalaysiaUniversiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat 86400, Johor, MalaysiaFaculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, MalaysiaResearch Centre of Soft Soil, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat 86400, Johor, MalaysiaFaculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, MalaysiaFaculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, MalaysiaA geophysical survey including electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), induced polarization (IP), and seismic refraction (SR) was carried out to estimate peatland thickness in Beaufort District, Eastern Malaysia. Peatlands are important natural carbon storage and play a key role in the global carbon cycle. The ERT and IP studies were performed along three profiles over different peat thicknesses using Schlumberger configuration. The SR survey was carried out using vertical geophones along the same profiles. The peat soil material was characterized by low seismic velocity and high resistivity. Our results show that ERT and IP methods were able to clearly detect the interface between the peat soil and marine clay underneath. These layers differ greatly in geoelectrical characteristics showing clear contrast, thus enabling the delineation of peat soil stratigraphy, while the SR image obtained was not able to determine the base of the peat soil layer as the stiffness difference on the transition layer was very small. Overall, it was concluded that the ERT and IP method offer a useful alternative in delineating the peat soil stratigraphy. The combined application of ERT and IP method with the conventional boring method meets the demand for large volume peat stratigraphy mapping, which, moreover, has various ecological conditions and undulating strata.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6681704
spellingShingle Habib M. Mohamad
B. Kasbi
M. Baba
Z. Adnan
S. Hardianshah
S. Ismail
Investigating Peat Soil Stratigraphy and Marine Clay Formation Using the Geophysical Method in Padas Valley, Northern Borneo
Applied and Environmental Soil Science
title Investigating Peat Soil Stratigraphy and Marine Clay Formation Using the Geophysical Method in Padas Valley, Northern Borneo
title_full Investigating Peat Soil Stratigraphy and Marine Clay Formation Using the Geophysical Method in Padas Valley, Northern Borneo
title_fullStr Investigating Peat Soil Stratigraphy and Marine Clay Formation Using the Geophysical Method in Padas Valley, Northern Borneo
title_full_unstemmed Investigating Peat Soil Stratigraphy and Marine Clay Formation Using the Geophysical Method in Padas Valley, Northern Borneo
title_short Investigating Peat Soil Stratigraphy and Marine Clay Formation Using the Geophysical Method in Padas Valley, Northern Borneo
title_sort investigating peat soil stratigraphy and marine clay formation using the geophysical method in padas valley northern borneo
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6681704
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